Tubular latch



J. MILLER TUBULAR LATCH Aug. 9, 1955 Filed Aug. 9, 1952 n i livr lUnited States Patent O TUBULAR LATCH Julius Miller, Valley Stream, N. Y.Application August 9, 1952, Serial N o. 303,463

6 Claims. (Cl. 292-169) This invention relates to door latches, andspecifically those known as tubular latches, in which the bolt elementis contained within a tubular casing which is slid into a door through ahole bored therein.

Where tubular latch structures are used, they very often become jammedor out of repair, as a result of foreign matter or corrosion within themechanism of the lock.

Presently known structures require that the entire lock be removed fromthe door, and very often completely disassembled or replaced in order torepair the said mechanism. Very often the lock is so constructed that itcan only be assembled or disassembled at the factory, thereby involvingthe user in considerable expense for repairs.

A further diiiiculty with tubular latches, as presently known, is thatthe roll-back mechanism is incorporated within the latch member when itis manufactured, and

can not be removed therefrom for the purpose of in stalling the latch.As a result of the usual construction, a substantially larger openingmust be drilled in the door, before inserting the latch and the expenseand time required for installation is greatly increased.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide atubular latch which may be assembled or disassembled with ease, andwithout specialized tools.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tubular latchwhich may be serviced at the site.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tubular latchwhich will require a minimum amount of installation time, and occupy asmall space within the door.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangementof parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, is illustrated oneform of embodiment of the invention, in which drawings similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of a complete embodiment of thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal view in section of the tubular latch shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a spindle and rollback arm, assembledin accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3a is a View in horizontal section, somewhat reduced in scale, ofa complete embodiment of the present invention, showing the compensatingaction of the hub.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the spindle and rollback arm assembledwith the roll-back arms in the operative position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in top plan of the showing in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective, showing the hub of the roll-back arm,made in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a door having a bore 11 therein,and a transverse opening 12 for `the purpose of receiving the door knobspindle 13 therethrough. A tubular latch 15, which is inserted in thebore 1l, consists of a round shell i6 having inwardly pressed detents17, spaced from the front end thereof. A coil spring member 18 isdisposed within the shell 16 with one end of said spring bearing againstthe front face of the detents 17. The opposite end of the spring 18 isformed to it against the rear of the bolt 19 of the latch mechanism. Thebolt 19, which is illustrated as a tapered member, best shown in Figure2, for the purpose of preventing door rattling, is secured to a yoke 20,which yoke extends within the shell 16.

The yoke 20 in the present embodiment of the invention consists of aband of metal doubled back upon itself, to form a loop 30, the free endsof which band are secured to the bolt 19, as indicated at 21. The yoke20 is further cut away at the knob end thereof, as shown at 22, for thepurpose of receiving therein the hub 23 of the roll-back arm element 24.The hub 23 is provided with a square opening 25 to receive therethroughthe spindle 13 of the door knob 26.

The roll-back arm, best shown in Figure 6, may be formed integral withthe hub 23, and consists of a member tangentially disposed upon the hub23 and extending above and below the said hub. The roll-back armextensions 27, 28 are of unequal length, The hubs are disposed inface-toaface relationship, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, so that thesmaller arm on each hub is disposed against the larger arm on theopposite hub. It will therefore be apparent that no matter which way thehubs 23, 29 are rotated by the action of the door knob spindle 13, alarge roll-back arm will be available to retract the yoke 20 by means ofthe loops 30 therein.

When it is desired to assemble the tubular latch, made in accordancewith the present disclosure, it is merely necessary to slip the coilspring 18 within the shell 16, slide the yoke 20 through the spring 1Sand within the shell 16, until the loops 30 of the yoke appear beyondthe shell. Thereafter, a roll-back arm hub may be slid within thecut-away portion 22 of the yoke, with its larger arm first.

By reason of the smaller arm on the hub, the said hub and roll-back armsmay then be rotated through an arc of which will enable the smaller armto clear the end of the loop on the yoke, thereby bringing the loop andthe roll-back arms into the position shown in Figure 3.

The second hub and roll-back arm may be inserted in a similar manner,whereupon both hubs and roll-back arms will be engaged within the loopof the yoke, as shown in Figures l, 2 and 3. The entire tubular latch isthen assembled, and following its placement within the bore 11 providedin the door, Athe door knob spindle 13 may be slipped through thesquared openings 25 in the hubs of the roll-back arm, whereupon,following the securing of the knobs 26 to the said spindles, the latchis in operative condition.

Disassembling the mechanism of the latch made in accordance with thepresent invention, is equally simple, and is done in a manner the exactreverse of that previously recited during the assembling operation.

lt will be seen from the foregoing, that there has been provided atubular latch structure which may be assembled or disassembled withgreat ease, for the purpose of installation or repair, and whichassembling and disassembling facility is brought about by the specificcon struction of the roll-back arms, previously described.

The particular advantage of the hub construction made in accordance withthe present invention may be seen by referring to Figure 3a. In thatview the latch structure is shown as it might be installed by anunskilled or careless workman. The latch receiving hole which is boredkinto the door is out of line, with the result that the axis ofthe hubsZ3', 29, is not normal'to the face of the door 10. Nevertheless, byreason of the structure setforthand described above, there is sufficientplayl for the shaft 13 ofthe door. knob 26 to be slipped through thehubs, inasmuch as the hubs 23', 29 are capable of longitudinal movementwithin the loops 30. The, latch mechanism will therefore operate in thedesired manner, since the latch case does not surround the hub as itdoes in presently knownistructures. lt is to-be un derstood that theroll-back armsv 27,7 2S have sufficient play withiny the loops 30 topermit free axial and rotational movemenhas shown in the drawings.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new andsought to be secured by LettersPatent ofthe United States, is: v

1. A tubular latch comprising, a shell, abolt slidably carried withinthe shell, a yoke secured to the rear of the bolt, said yoke beingprovided with spaced loops at theV free endA thereof, a coil springdisposed about the yokeone end of said spring being supported within theshell andthe opposite end of the spring bearing against the bolt so` asto urge the end of said bolt out of the shell, a pair of hubs carriedbetween the loops of the yoke, a roll-back arm on each hub, each of saidarms being formed to provide unequal projections on opposite sides ofthe hub, the projections of opposed hubs being placed together andreceived within the spaced loops of the yoke in such manner that eachloop embraces one large and one small arm projection, a door knobspindle, ay spindle receiving opening ineach hub and a knob for rotatingthe said spindle and retracting the bolt.

2. A tubular latch comprising, a shell, a bolt slidably carried withinthe shell, a yoke secured to the rear of the bolt said. yoke beingformed of a single strip of metaldoubled back upon itself to form spacedloops at the free end thereof, a coil spring disposed about the yoke,one end of said spring being supported within the shell andthe oppositeend of the spring bearing against the bolt so as to urge the` end. ofsaid bolt out of the shell, a pair of hubs carried between the loops ofthe yoke, a roll-back arml on each hub, each of said arms being formed.to provide unequal projections on opposite sides of the hub, theprojections of opposed hubs being placed together and of a thicknesswhich will cause them to be loosely received within the spaced loops ofthe yoke in such manner that the yoke may be moved in any direction withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the assembly while each loopembraces one large and one small arm projection, a door knob spindle, aspindle receiving openingin each hub and a knob for rotating the saidspindie. and retracting the bolt.

3. A tubular latch comprising, a shell, a bolt slidably carried withinthe shell, a yoke secured to the rear of the bolt, said yoke beingformed of a single strip of .metal doubled back upon itself to formspaced loops at the free end thereof, a cut-away portion in said yokebetween the loops, a coil spring disposed about the yoke, one end ofsaid spring being supported within the shell and the opposite end of thespring bearing against the bolt so as to urge the end of said bolt outof the shell, a pair of hubs carried within the cut-away portion betweenthey loops of the yoke, a roll-back arm on each hub, each of said armsbeing formed to provide unequal projections on opposite sides of thehub, the projections of opposed hubs being placed together and of athickness which will cause them to be loosely received within the spacedloops of the yoke in such manner that the yoke may be moved in anydirection with respect to the longitudinal axis of the assembly whileeach loop embraces one large and one small arm projection, a door knobspindle, a spindle receiving opening in each hub and a knob for rotatingthe said spindle and retracting the bolt.

4. A tubular latch comprising, a shell, inwardly bent detents in thewall of the shell spaced from the front end thereof, a bolt slidablycarried within the shell, a yoke secured to the rear of the bolt, saidyoke being provided with spaced loops at,4 the free end thereof, a coilspring disposed about the yoke, one end of said spring being supportedupon the detents within the shell and the opposite end of the springbearing against the bolt so as to urge the end of said'bolt out of theshell, a pair of hubs carried betweenthe loops of the yoke, a rollbackarm on each hub, each of said arms being formed to provide unequalprojections on opposite sides of the hub, the projections of opposedhubs being placed together and of a thickness which will cause them tobe loosely received=within the spaced loops of the yoke in such mannerthat the yoke may be moved in any direction with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the assemblyy while each loop embracesV one largeand one small arm projection, a door knob spindle, a spindle receivingopening in each hub and a knob for rotating the said spindle andretractingthe bolt.

5 A tubular latch comprising, a shell, a bolt slidably carried withinthe shell, a` yoke secured to the rear of the bolt, saidyoke` beingLformed of a single strip of metal doubled back upon itself to formspaced' loops at the free end thereof, a cut-away portion in said yokebetween the loops, a coil spring disposed about the yoke, one end ofvsaid spring being supported within the shell and the opposite end ofthespring bearing against the bolty so as to urge the end of said boltout of the shell, a pair of hubs carried within the cut-away portionbetween the loops of the yoke, a roll-back arm tangentially mounted oneach hub, each of said arms being formed to.provide unequal projectionson opposite sides of thel hub, the projections of opposed hubs beingplaced togetherl and of athicklless whichwill cause them to be loosely`received within the spaced loops of the yoke in such manner thatItheyoke may be moved in any direction with respect to the longitudinal'axis ofthe assembly while each loop. embraces one large and one smallAarm projectiom a door knob spindle, a spindle receiving opening in eachhub, and a knob for rotating the said spindle andretr-acting the bolt.

6. A tubular latch comprising, a shell, inwardly bent detents in thewall` of. the shell spaced from the front end thereof, a bolt slidablycarried within the shell, a

f yoke secured to. the rear of the bolt, said yoke being formed of asingle strip of metal doubled back upon itself to form spaced loops atthe free end thereof, a cutaway portion in said yokebetween the loops,acoil spring disposed. about the yoke, one end of said spring beingsupported upon the detents within the shell and they opposite end.v ofthe spring` bear-ing against the bolt so as to-urge the end of saidbolt4 out of the shell, a pair of, hubsl carriedy withinv the, cut-awayportion between. the loops of the yoke, a rollfback arm tangentiallymounted on each hub, each. of said arms being formed to provide unequalprojections on opposite sides of the hub, the projections of opposedhubsbeing placed together and of a thickness which will cause them to bereceived within the spaced. loops of theV yoke in suchV manner that theyoke may be moved in, any direction with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the assembly while each loop, embraces one large and one smallarm projection, a door knob spindle,r a spindle receiving opening ineach hub and a knobv for rotating the said spindle and retracting thebolt.

I'hfefrencesj Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS348,657 Briggs Sept. 7, 1886 352,515 Bullard Nov. 16, 1886 733,142VCaley Iuly 7, 1903 765,909 Voight July 26, 1904 1,876,885 EllingsonvSept. 13, 1932 2,473,080 Vander Henst June 14, 1949 2,633,732 HeizmannApr. 7, 19513/

